No. H081/12
For release - July 23, 2012
COQUITLAM, B.C. – A $2-million Evergreen Line contract for work to prepare for the relocation of railway tracks has been awarded to BEL Contracting.
The railway tracks in Port Moody will be relocated to accommodate a portion of the Evergreen Line guideway adjacent to Clarke Street, from Queens Street to Mary Street. Rail service will continue without major interruption.
Work begins in August and includes relocation of utilities, realignment of Columbia Street adjacent to the tracks and construction of a gravel base for the relocated tracks. Final track construction and relocation will occur in 2013.
“The Evergreen Line will create more than 8,000 direct and indirect jobs during construction, and the new rapid transit connection will deliver new economic opportunities and improved quality of life in the Tri-Cities,” said the Honourable James Moore, Senior Minister for British Columbia and Member of Parliament for Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam. “The Evergreen Line demonstrates that our government’s Economic Action Plan is working.”
“We continue to lay the groundwork for major construction of the Evergreen Line,” said Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Blair Lekstrom. “We know major construction will always have some impacts on people and traffic and we appreciate the patience of the travelling public. We continue with our community outreach to ensure the public is informed either by face-to-face meeting, by phone or online.”
The relocation of the railway tracks is part of a series of early works construction for the Evergreen Line. Early works construction lays the groundwork for major construction and will help keep the project schedule on track. Other early works activities include the installation of power supply lines in Port Moody, Coquitlam and Burnaby, and widening North Road.
“The Evergreen Line is important in helping the Tri-Cities area and the region overall reach its full potential, and already we’re seeing development with that in mind,” says TransLink Chief Operating Officer Doug Kelsey. “This relocation work demonstrates the project is moving forward and it’s an exciting time for the project.”
To keep residents, community groups and businesses informed during construction, the Evergreen Line community relations program is well underway. Staff provides the public with construction updates, responds to enquiries and, as the project moves forward, monitors construction-related activities and addresses issues during construction.
The B.C. government will select a primary contractor to design and build the Evergreen Line this summer.
The Evergreen Line will open in the summer of 2016, providing rapid transit for the first time to the communities of Coquitlam and Port Moody, as well as the students of Douglas College. The project will create 8,000 direct and indirect jobs during construction.
Stay connected to the Evergreen Line:
- Visit the Evergreen Line Project Office at 2900 Barnet Highway, Coquitlam weekdays from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm
- Sign up for email updates at info@evergreenline.gov.bc.ca
- View the Evergreen Line website at www.evergreenline.gov.bc.ca
- “Like” the Evergreen Line Facebook page at www.facebook.com/evergreenline
- Call the free, 24/7, traffic information line at 604-927-2080 to receive the most up-to-date information related to Evergreen Line construction in Coquitlam, Port Moody and Burnaby
Learn More:
BC Bid®: www.bcbid.gov.bc.ca
Evergreen Line: www.evergreenline.gov.bc.ca
Evergreen Line on Facebook: www.facebook.com/evergreenline
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Contacts:
Geneviève Sicard
Press Secretary
Office of the Honourable Denis Lebel
Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities
Ottawa
613-991-0700
Kate Trotter
Government Communications and Public Engagement
Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure
250-356-8241
Media Relations
Transport Canada, Ottawa
613-993-0055
Drew Snider
TransLink
604-453-3054
Transport Canada is online at www.tc.gc.ca. Subscribe to e-news at www.tc.gc.ca/e-news or stay connected through RSS, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Flickr to keep up to date on the latest from Transport Canada.
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